


I Need You

by Urnotmyrealmom



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Flash Fic, Fluff, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:34:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22686304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Urnotmyrealmom/pseuds/Urnotmyrealmom
Summary: After what happened with Murphy Detective Ridley Greene (OC) struggles to adjust in her new role, and define her relationship with brooding Adam Du Mortain.
Relationships: Detective/Adam du Mortain
Kudos: 13





	I Need You

**Author's Note:**

> Please be nice, I was really nervous.

Ridley.

As I dressed myself for the day, there was a sharp rapping on my door, startling me out of my reverie. I smoothed down the front of my shirt before answering it, not even bothering to look through the peephole. 

“Are you in the practice of opening your door to strangers, or do you do this just to get to me?” Adam stood there, lips tightly pressed, though the look in his eyes was more playful than stern.  
I shrugged, “Why would I need to, when you’re the only one who ever knocks that way?

He sighed, shaking his head as he often did when he felt I was being needlessly reckless. I didn’t test his patience on purpose, really. I just wasn’t used to my own safety mattering to anyone else but myself. Ever since the incident with Murphy, things had been strange between us. I remembered that night vividly, every detail seared into my mind. What was most vivid, however, was the way Adam’s voice sounded as I started to black out. There was almost a pained tone to it, as if losing me was the worst thing that could have happened to him, and it was confusing because I knew in that moment, I had to do everything I could to stay alive.

“How can I help you, Commanding Agent Du Mortain?” I continued, trying not to dwell on the memories of that night. 

He arched his eyebrow at the formality of my question, but otherwise ignored it. “I actually came just to check on you. The rest of the team is meeting with your mother for the duration of the afternoon, but she was worried about you being by yourself what with you being on medical leave.”  
I frowned deeply. I’d been trying not to think about that either. Though I’d been cleared by my doctor, I’d made an enemy of the mayor with the Murphy case, and he just _insisted_ I take an extra three weeks medical leave in addition to the month I’d already been out. My mother, unfortunately, had been on his side, insisting they were just taking the time to fully prepare for my new position as liaison. So, once again, Unit Bravo was handed the role as my babysitter—something I was greatly annoyed by, though not with the team itself.

“I’m afraid you’re going to be bored,” I admitted, “I was only planning on getting out, maybe going to Haley’s for coffee.” The same thing I did literally every day. It’s not like there was a lot to do in Wayhaven. 

He looked thoughtful for a moment, before speaking again. “Well, it’s shaping up to be a warm day, and I heard there’s a pleasant kind of waterfall just a short hike from town. Is that something that would help break up the monotony?”

I eyed him carefully, “Since when do you care about breaking up monotony? I thought you lived for routine.”

He gave me a hard glance in return, “You’re not the only one who’s been stuck in this town, Ridley. It might be nice to get out for a little—good for workaholics like us.”

Inside, I was buzzing at the idea of spending time alone with him. He was different when he wasn’t under the eye of the rest of the team and my mother—gentler, more playful. It was nice, albeit confusing. I smiled all the same, gesturing to the door. “After you, then.”

I knew the hike he was talking about well, having done it many times in my childhood. I was a bit of a loner, struggling to make friends in my mother’s absence. So the only solace I found was hiking up to the falls where I could be away from the people of the town and their sympathetic glances. 

Adam was mostly quiet as we walked, his gaze vigilant—scanning for threats no doubt. I knew better than to ask him personal questions about his past or history, but it felt strange walking together not saying anything.

“What’s your favorite color, Adam?”  
To my surprise, he answered without hesitation, though he looked like he regretted answering the moment he spoke. “Green. Yours?”

I was almost too shocked to answer, but I pulled myself together, “Yellow. Like pale, spring yellow though. Not obnoxious lemon yellow.”

Adam cocked his head and looked over at me. “Why?”

I sighed, “It reminds me of when winter is over, and it’s still kind of cold out, but the sun is beginning to peek through the clouds.”  
I thought I saw the smallest hint of a smile on his face, but before I could comment on it, the trail opened up and we arrived at the falls. We both stopped to take it all in. “Welcome to the falls, Agent.” 

After a few moments of silent appreciation, I laid down the thick, faded quilt on the forest floor for a dry-ish place to sit. He secured the perimeter, quickly and efficiently, not worrying anymore if I saw just how fast he could move. I wasn’t sure exactly what we were supposed to do on this trip, but I brought my sketch pad just in case. 

“I didn’t know you’re an artist.”

“I’m not,” I replied as I chewed on my pencil. “It’s just something I do to decompress after work. Mind you, Wayhaven isn’t exactly overflowing with crime, but the job can be trying regardless.”

“I think—I’ve been _told_ that I need to do something like that. To decompress. I just don’t know what that would even look like. It’s no secret that relaxation isn’t chief among my skillset.”

I had to keep my mouth from gaping. He’d never opened up this much about anything in the entire time I’d known him. And here I thought the color question was stupid. “I think it’s all about your mindset. You have to give yourself permission to relax first. Everything else can come afterwards.”

He shrugged, “I’m always on duty, always working a mission. I don’t see how I _can_ give myself permission when the lives of my team so clearly depend on me.”

“Well,” I began thoughtfully, “You’re on assignment right now. Babysit Ridley.” He shot me a sour glance, but I continued, “No but seriously, you’re on assignment right at this moment. Yes, you have to be prepared in case of a threat, but logically, let’s look at it. The biggest threat to me right now is me—being reckless, whatever.”

“You’re usually your own biggest threat.”

“Okay, but right now I’m being good. Didn’t put up a fight about you watching me. We’re just here, hanging out, at your suggestion. So your assignment _is_ to relax.”

He seemed to think about it for a moment, but miraculously, his shoulders seemed to unknot themselves and he actually leaned back. “Thank you, detective. That’s actually very helpful.”

I went back to my sketches, “You have to take the little moments, that’s what my mom always said.”

We sat that way for some time: me sketching, and Adam lost in his own thoughts. I wondered how the rest of the team was faring, trapped in a meeting with my mom. Felix would no doubt be jealous, Nate too. Mason hated any group activity. As the time passed, the air got unbearably warm, but the idea of hiking back to see the walls of my apartment once more was more depressing than I thought it would be. 

“Do you want to head back?” Adam asked, as I rose from the blanket. I didn’t say anything, only removed my shoes and ran to the edge of the water. Adam was frowning deeply, calling out, “What are you doing? You’re going to hurt yourself.”

I ignored him, jumping into the crystal-clear water. It was cooler than I realized, but a welcome relief from the heat. Just a few seconds later, there was another splash, and I found myself being yanked toward the surface by my waist.

“Ridley, are you okay?” Adam’s voice was riddled with concern as he turned me to face him, accidentally pressing me against him closer than I’m sure he intended. 

I spluttered, pushing my hair out of my face in confusion, “I’m fine, I’m fine, what’s wrong?”

He was actually panting, though it couldn’t have been from the physical exertion, “I thought something happened. You were under the water and your heart was racing, so I jumped in to grab you.”

As much as I tried to avoid it, I began laughing. Even as the annoyance crossed his face—I couldn’t help myself. “Adam, my heart was racing because I jumped into cold water after baking all day.” My heart was _still_ racing from our proximity to one another, but that was a different issue. 

He was still holding me close to him when I realized how much more sensitive he must have been to the cold water. “Oh god—you must be freezing! Come on, let’s get you warm.” I went to swim toward the bank, but found his arms had not budged from around my waist. “Adam?”

* * *

Adam.  
  
“Adam?” Ridley was staring at me in obvious worry, but there was something inside me that couldn’t let her go. Ever since I had to see her lying there, almost dead because of Murphy, I struggled to keep my composure around her. I knew that night that something was different, but I also knew that I was compromising myself to let myself feel that way. 

But here, no one was around. Here, she was in my arms, and I couldn’t think of anything else, not how cold I was, not the fact that she was obviously trying to talk to me. I only saw her, the green in her eyes that inspired my favorite color, and the lips that I only ever wanted to see smile. Until that moment, when I couldn’t hold back a moment longer. 

There was no more thinking, there was only my lips on hers, as I brought her face to mine. The voice inside me roared in victory, but I didn’t pay attention. All I saw, all I felt was her. The moment I gave in to thinking, was the moment I had to think of the repercussions. Of course, I didn’t count other people being able to ruin that for me. Reluctantly, I pulled away, as the footsteps I knew belonged to my team approached.

“Hey—Ridley!” Felix’s voice sounded off from the distance, though I knew he was only seconds away. Like clockwork, he jumped into the pool, with an obnoxious splash.

“I thought you all were in a meeting with my mom all afternoon?” Ridley asked. 

Nate was the next to reply, “We were, but she got Adam’s text about your whereabouts, and graciously allowed us to join you. Mason volunteered to stay behind of course. The weather is a little much for him.”

Felix popped up right next to where Ridley and I had just been in an embrace, a mischievous look on his face. “So, uh, what got you both in the water? As I recall, Adam, you don’t much care for aquatic activities.”

Ridley splashed him, “Don’t be such a spaz, Felix. I fell in, and Adam jumped in to make sure I was okay.”

“Yes, I’m sure that was his _only_ motivation.” Felix crooned.

Nate chuckled from behind him, “I’m afraid I have to side with Ridley on this one, Felix. If Adam had planned on jumping in, I’m not sure he’d be wearing his shirt still.”

It’s not like Ridley had _completely_ lied. I did jump in after her, and I was thanking myself silently for that as I distanced myself from the three of them. Something hung in the air between us, and it was too much for me to try and deal with while everyone was around. “I’m going to go and check in with Agent Greene since you both are here now. Detective, thank you for showing me the falls. They were…lovely.”

Without another word, I took off, knowing my clothes would dry as I ran. The further away I got, the more the regret set in. Something had now officially changed between Ridley and I and I didn’t know how to deal with it. 

“I thought you were at the waterfall with the Detective,” Mason greeted as I walked up.

I shrugged, “Yes, and then Nate and Felix came to relieve me, so now I can get some work done.”

Mason puffed on his cigarette, “Oooh, touchy. Ridley get a little too close for comfort?”

“What?” I snapped back. The infuriating thing was he wasn’t wrong. I was used to these jibes from Felix, but I didn’t like them coming also from Mason. 

“Relax, I just meant her blood. It’s hard for all of us. You must have really had a crap time, you’re in a terrible mood.”

“Commanding Agent. I thought you were with Ridley.” Agent Greene’s voice was stiff and tired.

I straightened up and nodded, “I was, and then we were joined by Nate and Felix, so I thought I might check in.”

She chuckled a little, relaxing, “You and my daughter both need to learn to relax. I have no updates for you, Adam. I’m taking the rest of the team with me back to headquarters tonight for research. Your only assignment is to stay with Ridley, make sure she’s holding up okay.”

I gulped, but said nothing. This wasn’t the ideal circumstance for having a clear head, but orders were orders. Apparently, she noticed, “Is there something wrong, Agent?”

I shook my head, “Not at all Agent Greene.”

She looked me over carefully, but said nothing, only nodded. With no further conversation, I left in the direction of Ridley’s apartment, completely unsure about what was going to happen.

* * *

Ridley.

The hike back from the swimming hole was pleasant enough, with Felix chattering on about the time the team was in Ibiza on assignment, and Nate watching for birds. My mind was on one thing, and one thing only. _Adam had kissed me_. I was sure I had thought about that very thing countless times, but the fact that it actually happened was almost too much to wrap my head around. It was amazing, and intense, and surprisingly natural. But then the team came, and we didn’t get to speak even two words about it. 

“Is something wrong, Ridley? You’ve been awfully quiet.” Nate’s voice was quiet and comforting. Reading the obvious concern on my face, he called out to Felix, “Felix, I was thinking, the Agency _never_ has good scotch on hand. Do you think you could pick some up for when we go back tonight? I’ll take Ridley home.”

Felix grinned, “I knew you’d come around to my point of view! I’ll meet you back in an hour, okay?” And then he was gone.

Nate snickered, “That was easier than I thought. But we should be free to speak now, if you want. If not, at least you’ll have a quieter time with your thoughts.”

I sighed, I so wanted to talk about it, but I knew Adam wouldn’t want his private concerns spoken about. I needed to say _something_ though, “My relationship with Adam is…complicated. I don’t think it’s any secret that I feel a certain way about him. And spending this afternoon with him only made that more difficult for me.” There. Now I wasn’t sharing Adam’s part, only my own.  
Nate seemed to mull over my information for a moment before he replied, “I know this is just coming from me, and I’m a little biased. But I think you two are excellent together. Adam is my oldest friend, and I’ve never seen someone who checks and balances him so well.”

There was no denying that my heart fluttered a little at his words, though it didn’t mean that Adam felt the same way, kiss or not. “I think you should talk to him about it.” Nate continued, “With your mother taking Felix, Mason, and I back to HQ tonight, you’ll have the opportunity to speak openly and frankly.”

I gulped at this new revelation, “Wait, you’re all going _except_ Adam?” How was that even going to work? It’s not like he’d agree to be put up at a hotel since his mission was to protect me. 

Apparently reading my thoughts, Nate gave my arm a squeeze. “It’s going to be fine, Ridley. Just be honest with him.” Pfft. So much easier said than done. 

We arrived back to my apartment to see Adam was already waiting there, alongside Felix and Mason.

“Is there a party at my house I wasn’t informed of?” I quipped, unlocking the door.

Felix laughed, “We’re just here to make sure you’re situated, detective. A weekend by yourself with this grump isn’t going to be a picnic.”

“Enough, Felix.” Adam commanded. “You all have your orders. See them done, and we’ll see you on Monday.”

Nate nodded, clapping Adam on the shoulder supportively before taking off. Mason handed me a cigarette, before mumbling “good luck” and walking off with Felix. 

Adam sighed heavily, massaging the bridge of his nose. “Let’s go inside. I ordered dinner already.”

I was taken aback as I entered my living room. “You _ordered dinner_? Why?”

“I thought we could use an opportunity to talk about what happened earlier.”

 _Talk about what happened?_ Had he fallen and hit his vampire head? This was Adam we were talking about, king of stuffing away his feelings. I composed myself as quickly as I could, clearing my throat. “Ah, yes. Earlier. When we went swimming.” How stupid could a person sound in conversation? Because I was definitely skirting the line.

He sat down in the oversized chair by the window, so I took the couch and waited for him to continue. “I just wanted to apologize for behaving so unprofessionally. I’ve been rather out of sorts since the whole thing with Murphy.”

An apology wasn’t the way I had _hoped_ the conversation would go. Wrapping my arms around my knees, I replied. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I was as willing a participant in everything that went down as you were.”

He exhaled heavily, “I shouldn’t have put you in that position, Ridley. I’m here to protect you, not let my feelings get in the way of that mission.”

This was really not the way I wanted it to go, though not wholly unexpected. As little as I knew about Adam’s background, I could see he was always a person who put the mission ahead of himself. I didn’t respond for some time, trying to think about what I even could say. Finally, I decided just to opt for the truth, because what else was there to lose?

“Well, Adam, I forgive you. I’m not _sorry_ we kissed, but you’re absolved of any guilt you have about it.”

He peered back at me with a bemused expression, “You’re not sorry it happened? Why not?”

Before I could answer, the doorbell rang and he rolled his eyes knowingly. “Sorry, that’ll be the food.”

Thankful for a change in conversation, I asked, “So, what exactly did you order?”

The door swung open and immediately my question was answered by the aroma that wafted in. _Mario’s_. Adam apparently read my expression because he chuckled, “I noticed you had a take-out menu on your fridge last time, but you told Nate you hadn’t been in months. So, I thought tonight would be a nice occasion.”  
I looked over the bags of food that Adam had ordered almost salivating. Tina and I would go to Mario’s every Friday night while we were in the Academy. After starting, though, we weren’t able to make it as often, but I kept their menu up on my fridge in the hopes I would one day return—or have the time to eat out. 

“I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I ordered what the Chef recommended. Linguine with clams?”

He didn’t need to say anything else to convince me. I was starving anyway, and the food was too enticing. Adam ate too, surprisingly, opting for a much simpler fettucine alfredo. To quell the silence, I put on the TV, the sounds of _Singin’ in the Rain_ filling the space between us. 

“I didn’t know you could sing,” Adam mused.

I gulped my pasta, not realizing I _had_ been singing, although I should have known. I had done that my whole life, quietly bursting out into song whenever my mind was preoccupied. “I apologize for the damage I just did on your especially sensitive ears.”

He shook his head, still looking at the television. “No no, don’t’ apologize. You have a very pleasant singing voice. I’m just surprised is all—you’re always so focused on work.”

“Yeah, well I don’t have a lot of time for hobbies, like we talked about earlier.”

Something seemed to register with him when I said that, and he looked over at me so quickly, I’m surprised it didn’t give him whiplash.  
“So, let’s finish talking about earlier.”

I groaned, “Let’s not. Aren’t you supposed to be the stoic, non-sharer?”

My words didn’t even phase him, “You’re evading. What did you mean when you said you don’t regret it?”

I pushed my hair back in annoyance, “Well, what do you think I meant, Adam?”

It was like I was living in an alternate reality. Adam was not the kind of person who liked to sit around discussing feelings. I thought for sure if there was anyone to let this be swept under the rug, it would be him, but I was finding just how incorrect that was. It was strange to see him so open, especially with him spending this whole time so closed off.   
He sighed, “I know it can be…frustrating communicating with me. I’m not great with expressing myself. But if we’re going to be on the same team, I’d really like to try. I’ve lived a very long time, and I don’t want to say that I’ve made no progress in all these years.” 

His words ate at my defenses. I was being really ungracious, and he was just trying to open up. How was I supposed to complain about him being closed off when I squandered the first opportunity I was given?

“You know when I lost consciousness for the second time after fighting Murphy?” He nodded slightly, and I continued, “I heard you. Calling my name. Begging me to wake back up. It was the first time I had even the slightest hope that you cared about me…as more than someone you were just trying to protect.”

Adam was quiet for a long while, looking at me with a conflicted expression. I immediately regretted saying anything, but knew there was nothing I could do to take back my words. I turned back to Gene Kelly, trying to distract myself from the obvious mistake I had just made.

* * *

Adam. 

  
As soon as Ridley had finished speaking, I saw her begin to close up, staring at the tv, and very apparently trying not to cry. _Nice going, Adam._ I moved to sit next to her on the couch. If this is the way the weekend was going to go, we had a long couple days ahead of us. It wasn’t that what she said upset me, not in the way she thought. If only she knew that I was a monster and truly not worthy of her. 

I moved to the couch, where she was sitting. “Hey, don’t be upset. It’s okay.” She began to cry, which alarmed me even more. “Shh, it’s all right.” I wiped the falling tear away from her face, and she turned to face me, the redness of her eyes only heightening the green I had come to love so much.

I felt stiff and unsure, like I was in danger. Yet there was something about her—there had always been something about her, that made me feel at ease. It wasn’t just the fact that she risked her life to save the team. There was something about her personally that made me feel more comfortable than I ever had before.

But the moment passed, like a breeze. I turned, like her, back to the TV, though I wasn’t watching what was happening. She wiped her eyes in my peripheral and quietly mumbled that she was going to bed. I checked the clock, which only read 8:30, but didn’t know what to say to stop her. I could almost hear the rest of the team mocking me. Their “fearless leader” unable to have an emotional conversation with another person. 

As Ridley left the room, my phone buzzed with an incoming call.

“Hello?”

Nate’s voice sounded off from the other end of the phone, obviously concerned at my tone, “Is everything all right, Adam?”

I sighed, “Everything’s fine. It’s just going to be a long weekend.”

“Ah, talk to Ridley?” He was full of understanding, as usual. 

I narrowed my eyes at his question. “Why? What do you know?”

I could almost see him putting his hands up in defense on the other line as he replied, “Whoa, whoa. It’s none of my business. Ridley just mentioned she wanted to talk to you tonight, that’s all.”  
He was clearly withholding, but I couldn’t blame him. I really wasn’t the easiest person to communicate with, after all. “There was an…event…at the waterfall today. It made things complicated.”

He chuckled, “Affairs of the heart usually are complicated. That’s what makes them worthwhile.” After a moment, he spoke again. “I’ve known you a long time. In all this time, you’ve always sacrificed your own happiness for the safety and wellbeing of others. I know that you feel things are impossible because Ridley is a human, and you are a vampire. But since we’ve come to work with her, I’ve seen you open yourself in ways I didn’t think I’d ever see. I feel that’s worth a little complication.”

His words hit me deeply, though I kicked against them. “It’s more than a little complication. I can’t hurt her, Nate. And, I’m _terrified_ that’s going to be inevitable.”

“Nothing is inevitable. The only thing certain is that you will absolutely miss all opportunities that you don’t take. And I would hate for that to be your future.”

Hmm. He made a good point, and I would think about it. “Thank you, old friend. How is HQ?”

Nate yawned, odd for him, “It’s all right. They’re in the process of renovating, so there’s dust everywhere. I just called to check in and take a break from Felix and Mason.”

It was my turn to laugh. “I’ll bet. I’m sure you’ll keep them in line. I’ll see you Monday.”

“See you Monday.” _Click._

I set down my phone and shut the TV off. The sound was getting to be too much for my ears. Realizing that there was no one left to talk to, and no work to do, I found myself in the strangest position of actually being _bored_. I heard Ridley’s voice from this afternoon saying “you have to take the little moments.” In that spirit, I looked around the living room until I found her sketchbook. As far as I knew, there weren’t any limitations for humans on sketchbooks like there were on diaries. 

What I found was more surprising than I had anticipated. Pages and pages of portraits, dating back to a couple years. There were pictures of her mother, Tina from the station, even Haley the bakery owner. There was something endearing about the way each person was drawn. You could tell that every portrait was drawn with warmth and care. The further back I got, the more I recognized the portraits. There was Felix laughing, Nate with his nose stuck in a book, and Mason puffing on his cigarette with a smirk. I was about to put the book down, when it flipped to one particular portrait—one I recognized more than all the others. 

Staring back at me was _me_ , though I wasn’t able to quite place what perspective it was from. My face was concerned, but also soft in a way I was not used to. Realization hit me as I recognized the background behind me. _This was the night at the warehouse, before she was taken in the ambulance_. But why would she want to remember me that way? I turned the page to look for some clue, and found a tiny caption, “the guardian angel who thinks he’s a monster.”

Before I could even react, there was a blood curdling scream from inside the bedroom. _Ridley._ In an instant, I put the book down and flew to her bedroom, tensed and prepared to strike. 

She was sitting straight up, a look of panic on her face as she hyperventilated. I couldn’t see any signs of a threat, but she was so distressed, I couldn’t let my guard down. “Ridley, what’s wrong? What happened? Her heart was racing, and pity washed over me as she replied, “Nothing, nothing, it was just a bad dream.”

I relaxed, slowly. It was normal for someone who’d experienced what she did to have nightmares, but I found myself afraid to ask what they were about. As much as she had been flexible about entering the supernatural world, the fear that she secretly was terrified by us was always present in my head. Still, I couldn’t bear to leave her like this. 

“Do you…do you want to tell me about it?” I moved to sit next to her on the bed.

Blood filled her cheeks, making my throat burn dully, which annoyed me. She shook her head. “You don’t want to hear about it. It’s embarrassing.”

I rolled my eyes, “After everything we’ve been through, you think I’m going to judge what you’re afraid of? If anything, I think you need to be afraid of _more_ , you’re so reckless.”

She glared back at me, a familiar expression that helped ease some of my tension. “I dreamt we were at the warehouse. Murphy had me, and I was trying to escape, but failing.”

My mouth hardened, “Murphy is never going to hurt you ever again, Ridley. I swear to you, I’ll protect you.”  
She shook her head, now in tears. “No, no. It wasn’t me. In the dream, he had gotten _you_ with the DMB. You were…” she broke off sobbing, but I knew the word she was going to say was “dead.”

* * *

Ridley  
  
I sat there sobbing, like an idiot, while Adam sat next to me silently. Maybe the stress was finally getting to me, but I couldn’t stop. The image of him lifeless was stuck in my head, and much as I tried, I couldn’t rid myself of it. 

I didn’t even realize that he had put his arms around me, or that he was stroking my hair comfortingly. For all I knew, I could have been dreaming again. It took the feeling of his lips on the top of my head for me to realize we were even embracing. I don’t know how he was able to understand me, but I was somehow able to choke out an apology. 

He took me by the shoulders to stare me in the face gravely. “Don’t ever apologize for anything, Ridley. Especially not to me.”

I nodded pathetically, and the strangest, most exasperated, _desperate_ expression filled his face. Then he did something I couldn’t have predicted. He kissed me. Again.

Like earlier in the afternoon, it was intense and surreal. But the tension I felt before I didn’t feel now, as if he were completely giving in. There was no one coming, no one here he had to be anything else for. 

After I don’t know how long, we broke from each other, and he rested his forehead on mine, speaking quietly. “I thought I lost you, that night, Ridley. I couldn’t think of anything else but how much I needed to see your eyes again, even if they were glaring at me. And that _scares_ me. I’ve never needed anyone before, or let someone close enough to me to need them. But seeing you, like this, I can’t do it. I can’t let you cry because I’m too afraid to talk about how I really feel. I don’t ever want to be the reason you cry.”

I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until I had to let all the air out. “You need me?”

He nodded, pressing the palm of my hand to his lips, and letting it rest on his cheek. It was like my chest was bubbling up my throat, and I wasn’t sure how to handle it. So instead, I just whispered, “I need you too.”

Adam began to laugh—fully laugh, and I joined in. What a scene we must have been. After a while, the laughter subsided, and we just sat on my bed, my hand in his. It was so strange to think that just this morning, we were in a completely different place, with everything unspoken. 

“You should probably get to sleep,” he murmured, looking at the clock on my nightstand. Was it really already 1 in the morning?

I yawned against my will, “Yeah, you’re probably right. Have to get up early so I can _not_ go to work.”

He rolled his eyes so hard I could feel it. “Most people would be glad to have the time off, you know that, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, pot and kettle, Adam.” I shot back as I settled into my pillow.

He brought the covers over me gently before kissing my head and saying “good night.” Part of me wanted him to stay, but the other, very tired part of me hushed that desire as I fell very quickly into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, it took me a moment to process that the previous day hadn’t been a dream. Memories, the glorious, and the horrifying flooded my mind, as I sat up and rubbed my eyes. The clock on my nightstand read 8:35, which was a new record for my sleeping in. 

I walked into the kitchen to find Adam, coffee in hand, which was strange considering I hadn’t used my coffee maker since I moved in. “Good morning.” I accepted the mug from him. “I haven’t had anything other than Haley’s or station coffee in 2 years.”

He chuckled, arms crossed in front of him. “So I noticed by the dust gathering on your coffee maker. As I am still on assignment to guard you, I couldn’t exactly go down to Haley’s while you were sleeping. Besides, this will be good for you, and probably save you money.”

I made a face at him, taking another sip of my coffee. The annoying thing was, it was actually very well made. “So, what’s on the agenda for today?”

“You’ll be pleased. Your mother has called us in to the Agency. Wants to get you acquainted there. We can leave once you’re ready.”

I had to restrain myself from how violently relieved I was to be _doing_ something. Watching Adam though, I saw something different in his expression—disappointment? I studied his face, “What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy to get out of town for a bit.”

He shrugged, obviously trying to regain control of his body language, “No, I am,” he paused, chuckling, “I think I was just more invested in having a weekend with just us than I had anticipated. It’s a strange feeling.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. Before yesterday, we wouldn’t have been even having this conversation. He would have just sternly said it was time to go, and left me to it. But now, I found it far more difficult to navigate. It wasn’t like we’d defined anything, and I didn’t want to do anything to make him uncomfortable.

Apparently, my mental gymnastics were all over my face, because he took my hand, gently pulling me into his arms. “I know that the conversation we had last night was…limited. But I want to assure you that what I did say, I mean.”

I nodded against his chest, “Me too. I just don’t want to do or say anything to make you uncomfortable or like I’m moving too fast.”

He lifted my chin to kiss me. “I think we’re past all that, Ridley. But we’ll take it as it comes, okay?”

* * *

Adam.

Ridley stared up at me, those green eyes still a little sleepy, and nodded. It was as if the night before had broken a silo between us, shifting almost everything in our dynamic. I felt easy around her now, natural. And that was something I’d never felt with anyone outside the team, and definitely no one in a romantic context. I pushed back all thoughts of what it meant with her on the team, and even more with her as a human and me as a vampire. I wanted to have this—at least for a little while longer—without complication.

She dressed and packed as quickly as she could before we left for the trip. When she was officially under the employment of the Agency, they replaced her dilapidated silver hatchback with a sleek, black sedan, almost to her disdain. Considering, however, that we had a lengthy drive ahead of us, I was thanking my stars that she didn’t put up too much of a fight. Of course, I offered to drive, in the hopes she might be able to sleep a little more. 

Wayhaven wasn’t a large town, and disappeared rather quickly behind us. Ridley didn’t sleep as I thought, she merely contented herself to put on some music, singing along here and there. In a setting like this, not at the station, she seemed so much younger, or rather, so much freer. 

“How old are you?”

She snorted, elbowing my arm lightly, “What, you don’t have it on file somewhere?”

I scoffed, nudging her back, “Yes, because during a grizzly serial murder case, I took the time to memorize your date of birth.”

She was biting her lower lip, as if she were unsure about something. I reached over and squeezed her hand, hopefully to reassure her. She squeezed back and responded, “26. My birthday is in October.”

26 years old, and already a member of the Agency, a detective, completely independent. It was impressive when you really looked at how much she’d done in such a short amount of time.

She gulped, and I noticed her heart rate beginning to pick up. “So, should we talk about what this is? Because I am okay giving you time and privacy, not asking you details about your past, but I just want to know what I’m doing here. I know that this isn’t…conventional.”

  
  


I sighed, looking ahead, as if for answers. “Unconventional is correct.” Seeing her dejected expression, I continued, “But unconventional isn’t bad. Just different.”

Her phone rang shrilly, interrupting anything she could have said in response. Apparently, any serious conversation we had was going to be full of interruptions. 

“Detective Greene,” she answered officially. I did my best to tune out what was obviously Nate’s voice on the other end of the line, out of respect for her privacy. She continued, “Yes, we are already on the way. Well, let Felix know he just has to be patient, we’ll be there as soon as we can. Uh huh. Yes, we did. Yeah, we can talk more later.” 

My ears unwillingly perked up at that comment and I heard Nate on the other line respond, “I’m sorry we had to pull you two apart so suddenly, but it’ll be good to have the company. See you soon.”

She hung up the phone, and apparently read the look on my face. “I didn’t tell him anything, Adam. I only told him that I was conflicted in my own feelings about you.”

I shrugged, my demeanor hardening. “It’s not a problem, you’re allowed to have your own conversations with your own friends.”

She groaned, “Are we seriously doing this? I would never betray your confidence by talking about your private matters with your closest friend, you _know_ that. Or, you should.”

I knew she was right, but it was a bit like having a bubble burst. I had to remind myself that I’d had a similar conversation with Nate the previous night, so there was nothing to be upset about. I breathed out slowly, relaxing my shoulders as I did. “I know. You’re right, I’m sorry. This is all just new for me.”

“Well, it would help if we talked about what _this_ is, like I said before. So we can have a roadmap about what to do.”

I pulled off onto the next exit, stopping at the lone rest stop. She was looking around puzzled, but I said nothing. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have with her when I couldn’t pay full attention. Once I parked, I took her hand once more. “Okay, let’s talk about it. Because once we get to the Agency, I _have_ to be Commanding Agent Du Mortain—we may not have many opportunities to do this.”

She oriented her whole body to face me, and I had to keep myself from being distracted. “Okay.” She cleared her throat. “I know what we talked about last night, but I don’t know what it means for us. _Is_ there an us?”

It looked like she was bracing herself for my answer, so I replied quickly to quell her fear. “Yes. There is an us. As long as you want there to be.”

She fought against her smile, but it managed to peek through. “Yes, I would like that.”

“It’s a little complicated. Right now, I don’t think it’s wise for the rest of the unit to know anything more than what they already do.”

She nodded swiftly, “Agreed. Besides, there’s always the matter of my mom to contend with.”

Agh. Agent Greene was a whole separate set of complications. I swallowed, trying not to think further into that. I continued, “With that being said, there is the chance that we’ll have to act differently in front of the others, at least until we get to figure things out further. She frowned deeply, and I mirrored the sentiment. Now that things had changed, I disliked the idea of being anything but gentle and warm with her. 

“I—"she began, before stopping. “I guess I’m just afraid that I’m not going to know the difference in the way that you’re acting if we don’t have much time to talk privately.”

I cupped her face with my hands, looking her directly in the eyes. “Ridley, I _love_ you. And I promise any coolness you get in the presence of company is just a result of me _protecting_ what we have. I don’t want you to have any fear about that.”

* * *

Ridley.

My whole world was spinning at his words. It was one thing to say that we _needed_ each other. It was entirely different for him to tell me that he loved me. No one had ever said that to me. 

He continued speaking in response to my stunned silence. “You don’t have to say it back, it doesn’t change anything for me. I just don’t want you to have any fear or doubt about the way I feel about you.”

I came back to the ground at ‘you don’t have to say it back.’ What an absolutely ridiculous notion. I grinned, and he raised his eyebrow before I pulled him in to kiss him. It’s all I really could do. When we broke the kiss, I simply said, “I love you too.”

We were getting good at this—sharing our feelings. I was never a particularly open person, but meeting him made me want to try more than I ever had before. We got back on the road shortly after, making our way back to the Agency, and holding our newly defined relationship close to our hearts.


End file.
